Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (maximum 300 words) *

Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (maximum 300 words) *

Having multiple life activities enriches me and brings me joy.

Music: I started playing drums at age 10 and was instantly hooked. Music became my main outside-of-school/work pursuit, whether playing in a band or enjoying the local music scene with friends wherever I lived. Today I’m still passionate about playing and listening, but have shifted much of my attention to music production. I blend samples and recordings to create house music, and last year completed an online music production program with top label Toolroom Records. I’m increasingly part of the house music production scene, having released two songs already, with growing listenership. Music invigorates and relaxes me, while providing a sense of community and a creative cohort, each of us learning from the others.

Sports: Growing up I played on a travel soccer team and learned the power of teamwork and competitive spirit. Today I play in weekly pickup games, and am eager to continue with INSEAD’s football club. Beyond soccer I’m a half-marathoner and love getting muddy in Spartan Races. As a former skateboarder and now-avid snowboarder, I planned several trips for my ski group, including one to Verbier and Val-d'Isère. I’d love to take classmates on a similar trip, or to beautiful dive spots around Singapore (I’m a PADI-certified diver), enhancing our skills and experience. 

Service: In college, I loved giving back, such as working with EASE (Essay 1), tutoring immigrants via LINC, and mentoring small-business owners with the Carolina Microfinance Initiative (CMI). For example, I helped a woman implement her idea of bringing affordable eyeglasses to her Nicaraguan town by teaching her to write a business plan and create a supply chain. She paid off her micro-loan in two months! At INSEAD, I plan to join INDEVOR to continue paying it forward.

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Analysis: 

• This is an excellent response to the prompt. It would have been ideal for the opening to be longer than one line, but given the word limit, the student provided a concise introduction. 

• The student positions themselves positively by offering examples of extracurriculars they enjoy including the arts (music), sports (football/soccer, running,  skateboarding, skiing, diving), and service providing specific examples of each. 

• Their response really shines when mentioning by name similar endeavors offered by INSEAD they look forward to joining. This shows the admissions committee that the student has “done their homework” and is genuinely interested in attending INSEAD and taking advantage of the opportunities they offer (rather than submitting a generic application to a number of schools).